Support



April 1932- A. GASTONGUAY ET AL 1,854,832

SUPPORT Original Filed Aug. 10, 1929 M a N L H m f -I a m w H T T H wM close to the perforations,

Patented Apr. 19, 1932 ANTONIO GASTONGUAY, OF NEW YORK, AND GEORGE PULLER,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO OF PORT WASHINGTON,

BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES, INCORPORATED, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SUPPORT Original application filed August 10, 1929, Serial No. 384,923. Divided and. this application filed November 14, 1930. Serial No. 495,770.

This invention relates to supports for motion picture projectors and particularlyto supports for projectors for both sllent motion pictures and sound pictures of the film type.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 3%,923, filed August 10, 1929.

The object of this invention is a support for readilyadapting a projector to show either silent motion pictures or sound pictures.

A feature of this invention is a conveniently adjustable mechanism to shift the projector and thus change the angle of projection by a predetermined amount.

In a sound picture film, the sound record is commonly placed on one side of the film and the width of the picture is correspondingly reduced. The height of the picture on the sound film is regulated'by the distance the film is moved by each operation of the intermittent action, and for practical reasons, the height of the pioture in both silent and sound films is the same. In many motion picture theaters, the reflecting area of the screen is surrounded by a dark border which outlines an area equal to the projected area of a silent picture. As a result, when sound pictures are projected with the sound record masked off, the pro- 'ected area of the sound picture will not cover the screen. By means of a special optical system, the width of the projected sound picture may be magnified to cover the screen but the height will be enlarged in the same ratio and will then be too large for the screen. A special aperture plate is provided which not only masks off the sound track, but reduces the height so that when the sound picture is projected through the special optical system it will have the same dimensions as the screen.

The sound picture, however, will be laterally displaced on the screen due to the sound record having been masked off one side. The direction of projection must thus be rotated horizontally to center the sound picture on the screen. The projector head could be rotated through a small angle with respect to the base but this would be objectionable as the take-up reel is usually secured to the base and the rotation of the projector head would introduce a twist in the film. Another method is to laterally displace one end of the projector about a pivot at the other end. The pivot may be placed at either end of the projector, but as the projection ports in many theaters are comparatively small, the rear end is preferably displaced about a pivot at the front end so that the projector beam is not displaced enough to strike the side of the port.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a sub-base, comprising two fiat plates, superimposed and pivoted, is placed under the front of the projector base. Another subbase comprising fiat superimposing plates, is placed under the rear of the projector. By means of suitable angle levers, the upper plate may be slid longitudinally on the lower plate, displacing the rear of the projector laterally and rotating the direction of projection through a small horizontal angle.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 shows an aperture plate for silent pictures;

Fig. 2 pictures;

Fig. 3 shows a plan view and screen;

Fig. 4 shows the sub-bases in position under the projector feet; and

Fig. 5 shows a view of the operating levers in detail.

An opaque plate 1 of any suitable material is pierced by an aperture 2 of such dimensions as to define the outline of the projected silent picture. The projected silent picture will then cover the screen 3 between the lines 4: and 5, equally spaced from the center line 6.

A similar opaque plate 7 of any suitable material is pierced by an aperture 8 having the side 9 shorter than the corresponding side of the aperture 2 so as to mask off the sound record. A sound picture using the aperture plate 7 and projected under the same conditions as the silent picture will only cover the portion of the screen 3 defined by the lines 4: and 10, equally spaced from a center line 11. In order to center the sound picture on the screen 3 the line of projection must be rotated shows an aperture plate for sound of the projector ing 28 'toslide the plates 22 and notcoverthe screen. -is replaced-byaspecial'lens wh1ch magnifies :projector. .26 to1thefloor.

:ma-ybe secured by bolts 27 to plates 22 and 23.

ingsijournalled in suitable casting 28 and supports two levers 3'0 and 31. Lever 30 terminates in aprojection 32 which bears'against the abutment 33 plate 24 and located between and 23. Depressing lever 30 will cause the :projection 32to be pressed against the abuthorizonta-lly till the center line 11 coincides with the center line 6. A preferred method of rotating the line of projection is disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5 described below.

WVhen the sound picture is centered on the screen, due to the aperture 8 being smaller than the aperture 2 the projected picture will The projection lens '12 the sound picture so that the projected-sound picture covers the screen between the lines 4 and 5.

Due tothe magnification produced by the special lens, the height of the projected sound picture will be increased in the same proportion asthe width and will be toolarge for the screen. To avoidthis increasein height the side 13 of the apertureSis-made smaller than thecorresponding side of the aperture'2 by the same ratio as'the side 9 was made smaller than the corresponding side of the aperture 2. The reduction of the length of the side 13 will mask'ofi'a portion of the sound picture. The aperture '8 is preferably so located in the plate 7 that equal portionsare masked off the top and bottom of the picture, though in some cases it may be preferable that the portions be unequal, masked off the bottom.

A convenient method of rotating the line of projection to'bring the center line 11 into or even that all be -coincidence with the centerline 6 is to laterallydisplace one end of the'projector about a pivotat the other end. comprising two superimposed iflat plates 15 :and-16,pivoted at17 are placed under lateral- A -sub base 14, Fig. 4

1y opposedfeet of the projector, preferably under the front feet. Plate 16 may be secured to the fioorby'means'of screws 18 inserted through the large holes 19 in plate 15 and bearing onplate 16. The feet 21'of the projector may be secured by bolts to the plate 15. "Due to the pivotalconnection 17,

plate 15 may be rotated through a small angle with respect-'to'plate 16.

A sub-base comprising two flat plates 22 and23, Fig. 4, superimposed on a plate 24 is placed under the other pair of feet 25 0f the Plate 24 may be secured by screws The feet 25 of the-projector A casting 28 extends across the width of plate 24: and is secured by screws 43-toplates 22 and 23. A shaft 29 is supported in bearbosses formed in affixed to the the plates 22 ment andthe reaction will cause the cast- 23 longitudinally along plate 24 laterally displacing the feet125 of the projector. The amount of the to the plate 24. Depressing lever 31 will causethe projection 35to force the lever arm 36 upward'causing the lever arm 38 to be pressed against the abutment 39 and the reaction will cause casting 28 to slide the plates 22 and 23 longitudinally along plate 24 in the opposite direction to the movement resulting from the depression of lever 30 and thus returningthe rear feet 25 of the projector to their original position, and restoring lever 30 to its-initial position. The amount of the movement is regulated by the setscrew 40 which limits the movement of lever 31.

To prevent the plates'22 and 23 frombeing moved along the plate 24 by the vibrationof the projector, a screw (not shown) securedto the plate'24 passes through the plate 41and is engaged by the hand wheel 42. Rotating the hand wheel -42 will clamp plate 41 to plates 22 and23 and prevent relative movement of plates 22, 23 and 24.

What is claimed is:

1. In amotion picture projector, in combination, a sub-base comprisingsuperimposed pivoted members and another sub-basecomprising superimposed members, pedal controlled levermeans to rotate-the line of projection of said projector by an exact, predetermined amount and pedal controlled lever means to positively restore .the line of projection of said projector to its original position.

2. FIRE] device forrotating'the line of projection of a soundpieture projector, in combin ation, a sub-base comprising an upper and a lower plate, mean's.adapted to -secure said upper plate to the front feet of said projector, means adapted to secure said lower .plate to the floor, and means pivotally joining said upper and said lower plate, and-a second sub base comprising upper plates and alower plate, means adapted to'secure said upper plates tothe rear feet of'said projector, 1

means adapted to secure said lower plate to the floor, means slidably retaining said upper plates superimposed on said lowerjplate and adapted to secure said lower plate to the floor, and means pivotally securing said upper plate superimposed on said lower plate and a second sub-base comprising upper plates and a lower plate, means adapted to secure said upper plates to other laterally opposed feet of said projector, means adapted to secure said lower plate to the floor, means slidably retaining said upper plates superimposed on said lower plate, means for sliding said upper plates longitudinally of said lower plate comprising an abutment on said lower plate, lever means pivotally afiixed to said upper plates, a projection on said lever means bearing against said abutment and adapted to cause said upper plates to slide on said lower plate, and an adjustable stop to limit the movement of said lever means, and means for restoring said upper plates to their original position comprising a second abutment on said lower plate, an angle lever pivotally afliXed to said upper plates, an arm of said angle lever bearing against said second abutment and adapted to cause said upper plates to slide longitudinally of said lower plate in a direction opposite to said first movement, a second lever means pivotally afiixed to said upper plates, a projection on said lever means adapted to engage and operate the second arm of said angle lever, and an adjustable stop to limit the movement of said second lever means.

4. In a device for rotating the line of projection of a sound picture projector having two pairs of feet, in combination, a sub-base comprising an upper and a lower plate, means for securing said upper plate to laterally opposed feet of said projector, means for securing said lower plate to the floor, and means pivotally securing said upper plate superimposed on said lower plate, and a second subbase comprising upper plates and a lower plate, means securing said upper plates to other laterally opposed feet of said projec tor, means for securing said lower plate to the floor, means for sliding said upper plates longitudinally of said lower plate comprising an abutment on said lower plate, a casting seiored to said upper plates, lever means pivotally aflixed to said casting, a projection on said lever means bearing against said abutment, and adapted to cause said upper plates to slide on said lower plate and an adjustable stop to limit the movement of said lever means, means for restoring said upper plates to their original position comprising a second abutment on said lower plate, an angle lever pivotally aflixed to said casting, an arm of said angle lever bearing against said second abutment and adapted to cause said upper plates to slide longitudinally of said lower plate in a direction opposite to said first movement, a second lever means pivotally afiixed to said casting, a projection on said lever means adapted to engage and operate the second arm of said angle lever and an adjustable stop to limit the movement of said second lever means and clamping means slidably retaining said upper plates on said lower plate and capable of clamping said upper plates to said lower plate.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 30th day of October, 1930.

ANTONIO GASTONGUAY. GEORGE FULLER. 

